Abstract: A heater having a burner, a first heat exchanger associated with the burner, a second heat exchanger above the first heat exchanger in fluid cooperation with the first heat exchanger and an ambient air intake blower above the second heat exchanger. The second heat exchanger comprises angularly disposed finned section so condensate within the second heat exchanger flows to a collection point and is collected in a trap. The trap includes a sensor to sense buildup of fluid in the trap with feedback to the heater controls. The heater may include a collection pan below the heat exchangers in fluid communication with the trap. In one aspect the collection pan may include a heating element to vaporize the fluid so that heated, humidified air is expelled through vents adjacent the base of the heater. In another aspect, the pan includes an ultrasonic vaporization element to vaporize fluid in the pan.

Abstract: A heater having a burner, a first heat exchanger associated with the burner, a second heat exchanger above the first heat exchanger in fluid cooperation with the first heat exchanger and an ambient air intake blower above the second heat exchanger. The second heat exchanger comprises angularly disposed finned section so condensate within the second heat exchanger flows to a collection point and is collected in a trap. The trap includes a sensor to sense buildup of fluid in the trap with feedback to the heater controls. The heater may include a collection pan below the heat exchangers in fluid communication with the trap. In one aspect the collection pan may include a heating element to vaporize the fluid so that heated, humidified air is expelled through vents adjacent the base of the heater. In another aspect, the pan includes an ultrasonic vaporization element to vaporize fluid in the pan.

Abstract: A fuel burning space or zone heating appliance or heater rated or decorative fireplace (hearth appliance) and a method of operating a heater including a gas valve, a pressure transducer, a second pressure measurement device, a combustion fan, and a control. The control compares the signal from the pressure transducer to the signal from the second pressure measurement device. If the signals do not sufficiently correspond, the control prevents the gas valve from opening. If the signals sufficiently correspond, the control performs an ignition sequence and opens the gas valve. The control also compares the signal from the pressure transducer to a desired value based on a current input gas rate through the gas valve. If the signal is greater than the desired value, the control decreases power to the combustion fan. If the signal is less than the desired value, the control increases power to the combustion fan. If the signal is less than the desired value, the control turns the gas valve off to cease ignition.

Abstract: A fuel burning space or zone heating appliance or heater rated or decorative fireplace (hearth appliance) and a method of operating a heater including a gas valve, a pressure transducer, a second pressure measurement device, a combustion fan, and a control. The control compares the signal from the pressure transducer to the signal from the second pressure measurement device. If the signals do not sufficiently correspond, the control prevents the gas valve from opening. If the signals sufficiently correspond, the control performs an ignition sequence and opens the gas valve. The control also compares the signal from the pressure transducer to a desired value based on a current input gas rate through the gas valve. If the signal is greater than the desired value, the control decreases power to the combustion fan. If the signal is less than the desired value, the control increases power to the combustion fan. If the signal is less than the desired value, the control turns the gas valve off to cease ignition.

Abstract: A dehumidifier system having a dehumidifier section within which liquid desiccant absorbs moisture from air flowing therethrough and a dehumidifier section within which the desiccant is regenerated employs a heat exchanger for maintaining a relatively high temperature differential between the desiccant contained within the dehumidifier and regenerator sections. The desiccant which is conducted to either the dehumidifier section or the regenerator section is separated into multiple streams, and the multiple streams are treated differently from one another before being discharged into preselected segments of the air flow moving through the corresponding one of the dehumidifier section and the regenerator section. A control scheme in the system is capable of altering, and thereby improving, the concentration level of desiccant utilized in the system.

Abstract: A cooker and smoker apparatus for an outdoor grill is comprised of a plurality of louvers that are pivoted between a first position where the louvers overlap each other and a second position where the louvers are oriented uprightly relative to each other for the respective indirect and direct cooking of food supported on a cooking grate of the outdoor grill. The cooker and smoker apparatus provides for smoking of the cooking food in both modes of operation. Additionally, the cooker and smoker apparatus is provided with a simplified construction that reduces the cost of its manufacturing and enables the apparatus to be a part of an outdoor grill as it is manufactured or to be retrofit to an existing outdoor grill.

Abstract: A cooking grate for a grill, such as a barbecue grill, is comprised of a plurality of generally elongate rail members assembled in a nesting relationship to form a first and second cooking surface. The first cooking surface is formed by a generally flat surface on each of the rail members, the flat surfaces abutting to form a substantially smooth surface, with a plurality of elongate apertures therein through which juices produced by cooking food may flow. Each rail member has a gutter along its length which underlies approximately half of each of the apertures for catching a portion of the juices and diverting it from the heat source below. The grate may be reversed and the gutters form the second cooking surface which is similar to a conventional grate surface.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus includes a container, a spigot, a lid, and a food support. The container has a bottom surface and a side wall that extends upwardly from the bottom surface to a top edge of the side wall. The spigot is attached to the container side wall and has a valve member that is selectively positionable between opened and closed positions. The spigot valve member allows liquid contents of the container to drain from the container when in the opened position, and prevents the contents from draining out of the container when in the closed position. The food support is comprised of a perforated horizontal member with a perforated side wall extending upwardly from the horizontal member. A plurality of vertical members spaced around the periphery of the horizontal member extend upwardly from the horizontal member.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for controlling appliances of at least one building, each appliance being associated with a local controller and having a control input and at least one control point. The system includes a central processor computer having an operator interface and an equipment interface, a network connected to the equipment interface and having a plurality of nodes for communicating with each of the appliances, a log file being stored with respective area, description, and address fields containing corresponding data of the control points. A control program in the computer feeds the equipment interface to drive the control inputs of the appliances in response to a database, the database being populated from a tagname dictionary.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus includes a container, a spigot, a lid, and a food support. The container has a bottom surface and a side wall that extends upwardly from the bottom surface to a top edge of the side wall. The spigot is attached to the container side wall and has a valve member that is selectively positionable between opened and closed positions. The spigot valve member allows liquid contents of the container to drain from the container when in the opened position, and prevents the contents from draining out of the container when in the closed position. The food support is comprised of a perforated horizontal member with a perforated side wall extending upwardly from the horizontal member. A plurality of vertical members spaced around the periphery of the horizontal member extend upwardly from the horizontal member.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to an outdoor cooker or barbeque that cooks food by providing direct or indirect heat from a heat source of the cooker to the food. The outdoor cooker has a gas or charcoal heat source that provides direct and indirect heat to foods supported on a cooking surface of the grill by operation of a plurality of parallel louvers between the heat source and grill that are moved between first, upright positions of the louvers that provide direct heating of the food and second, angled relative positions of the louvers that provide indirect heating of the food.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus includes a container, a spigot, a lid, and a food support. The container has a bottom surface and a side wall that extends upwardly from the bottom surface to a top edge of the side wall. The spigot is attached to the container side wall and has a valve member that is selectively positionable between opened and closed positions. The spigot valve member allows liquid contents of the container to drain from the container when in the opened position, and prevents the contents from draining out of the container when in the closed position. The food support is comprised of a perforated horizontal member with a perforated side wall extending upwardly from the horizontal member. A plurality of vertical members spaced around the periphery of the horizontal member extend upwardly from the horizontal member.

Abstract: A funnel having at least one channel or groove formed by projected ribs in the sidewalls of the funnel. The projections space the sides of a filter membrane placed inside the funnel, thereby preventing the sides of the filter insert from adhering to the sidewalls of the funnel and allowing the fluid to flow through the sides of the filter insert and into the grooves or channels that conduct the fluid to the discharge orifice of the funnel. The projected ribs are preferably a plurality of raised ribs arranged at approximately 45 degree intervals about the funnel interior surface.

Abstract: A cooking grate for a grill, such as a barbecue grill, is comprised of a plurality of generally elongate rail members assembled in a nesting relationship to form a first and second cooking surface. The first cooking surface is formed by a generally flat surface on each of the rail members, the flat surfaces abutting to form a substantially smooth surface, with a plurality of elongate apertures therein through which juices produced by cooking food may flow. Each rail member has a gutter along its length which underlies approximately half of each of the apertures for catching a portion of the juices and diverting it from the heat source below. The grate may be reversed and the gutters form the second cooking surface which is similar to a conventional grate surface.

Abstract: A forced air, wall heater includes a heat exchanger which has a plurality of tubes. Each of the tubes include substantially parallel aligned runs and at least one return section between adjacent runs. The return section is aligned generally perpendicular with each of the plurality of runs. The heater also includes a blower positioned for blowing air directly toward the return section to maximize the mass flow rate of air over the return section. At least two of the runs are offset both laterally and in the direction of air flow with respect to each other. The ordering of tubes differs in at least two positions within the exchanger.

Abstract: A vibration suppressing mounting bracket for mounting the compressor of a vehicle air conditioner within a housing. The bracket is part of a mounting system for the compressor, the mounting system further comprising (1) a plurality of legs which are resilient mounts secured to the bottom of the compressor and to the housing, and (2) a pin extending from the top of the compressor which passes through a hole in a mounting plate, the plate also being secured to the housing. The bracket is formed from two arcuate segments which, when fastened together, form a substantially ring-shaped bracket which surrounds the cylindrical exterior of the compressor. The radially inner surface of the bracket is covered with a foam shock absorbing pad which is in contact with the compressor's exterior. The bracket is also bolted to the walls of the housing.